Good morning, I am going to try another documentary from the Get.Factual channel.  This time I am doing a series on Francisco Franco, the dictator of Spain.  It looks like there are four episodes and I think I am doing it in order, although Get.Factual does not really number those episodes.  I had to read the summaries and put them in order on my DocReview Playlist.   This first episode is about Franco’s rise to power.  The run time for this episode is 53:11.  The series is called The Truth about Franco: Inside Spain’s Forgotten Dictatorship.

Francisco Franco was a Spanish general who seized power in Spain during the Civil War.  He was considered one of Europe’s most enigmatic dictators.  He would rule Spain with an iron fist for four decades.  He once said that he had no problem killing Spain to prevent the Marxists from taking over.  He was a man who had many faces but could not shut up.  Spain still has the scars of his reign.  Who was the man?

It is 1936, and Spain was plunged into political chaos.  General Franco would step into that chaos and stage a coup.  This would lead to a bloody civil war.  Hitler stepped in and helped Franco.  When Franco won, he would declare himself Spain’s leader.  No one would contradict him, apart from humorously adding his wife.  Spain had dominated the world for decades, however, that empire would come to an end.  Eventually, the former Spanish colonies would declare their independence, and the empire would crumble.  This would have an impact on Spanish self-esteem.

Then there was a discussion of Franco’s childhood.  He would have grown up in a former garrison town on a naval base.  He had a strict Catholic upbringing and was a shy child.  His father was not present in his life and his mother was domineering.  Spain was increasingly falling behind in the industrial world and a large section of the population lived on the land.  Much of the land was owned by rich landowners.  The Spanish King could not get a grip on the problems and corruption reign supreme.  The Basques and Catalonians were chaffing for independence.

Franco wanted to go into the Navy, but the Spanish Navy was in serious decline.  He would eventually go into the infantry.  Morocco was on its way to independence.  Franco signed up for this mission to keep Morrocco a Spanish colony.  It was here that Franco would make his mark.  He was known as a strict disciplinarian.  Eventually, he was wounded in battle and was sent back to Spain to recover.  He would be named the head of the Spanish Legion.  While recovering, he would meet his wife: Carmen Polo.  Carmen was a strict Catholic, however, her family did not like her marrying a common soldier.  In fact, marrying a soldier was worse than marrying a bullfighter.

Tensions continued to rise in Spain and the King and his government did not know what to do.  The military had their say in the government as well.  Eventually, the King gave up and gave the army control.  It was here that fascism would start to have an impact on Spain.  However, the Depression hit and even the army could not get control of Spain’s problems.  The King fled and abdicated, and Spain would become a republic.  The military would be deprived of power.  

Unfortunately, the military did not take these changes lying down.  The republic was going to explode.  Hitler and Mussolini rose to power.  They would want to see the republic to fail.  Eventually, the powder keg would explode.  The Spanish Civil War was going on and it would become one of the bloodiest conflicts Span ever had.  Franco was growing in power and influence.  He saw himself as the Savior of Spain.  What would happen during the civil war?  Tune into the rest of the episode to find out more.

Well, well, well, this is definitely something we never really got into in history class.  This feels like this is a good start to explaining Franco and what happened in Spain during this time.  I rather liked the animations of the people involved.  It was a good documentary and it would be something that I would show to a history class.

Good morning, I am working on expanding the channels I pull documentaries from.  I hope you teachers are having a good start to the school year, I cannot believe we are in the second week of September already.  This time I am grabbing a documentary from the Get.Factual YouTube Channel.  This is a documentary about Manchu Picchu.  The run time for this documentary is 53:01.  It is called Machu Picchu, City in the Clouds.

This was a city 2430 meters high in the heart of the Peruvian Andes.  It is called Machu Pichu and it continues to be one of history’s most breathtaking and enigmatic urban creations.  It is surrounded by cliffs and towering mountains.  Over 800,000 people visit a year.  It was part of the Incan Empire.  How did they manage to build it?  Why was it built?  Now experts are descending on the site, using the latest in technology to help understand the site.

It was declared a World Heritage site in 1983.  Manchu Pichu was built at the height of the Inca Empire and covers a large area, high in the Andes Mountains.  Only a tiny fraction of the site has been explored while an even smaller fraction is visited by the public.  Today, researchers and investigators are descending on the site.  They are going to look at sites around Manchu Pichu unseen by visitors.

First things first, the site is examined from above.  Using satellite imagery the site is carefully examined.  For centuries Manchu Pichu was isolated, however, over the years more and more roads have been discovered.  Now the official archeologists go through and try to clear the roads.  There was an expansive network of roads leading to Manchu Pichu.  Then there are discussions of Lidar and its impact on archeology.  Lidar allows the archeologists to confirm the presence of roads and view the network of roads.

Not everyone was allowed into Manchu Pichu.  There were various checkpoints that carefully regulated people entering the city.  I interpret from the documentary that Manchu Pichu was something special and something sacred.  Archeologists are at the tip of trying to understand Manchu Pichu.  It seems that there was a network of settlements within this valley.

Another site part of the Manchu Pichu complex, had a series of fountains.  Were these fountains used for the people to purify themselves before they entered Manchu Pichu?  Other archeologists are going into the jungle to locate some additional structures.  Lidar seems to hint that there may have been structures.  Using Lidar saves time from going all over a site to find structures that are not there.  The Lidar sends the geographic locations as to where the structures are on the ground.

Due to research done in the past few years, the debate as to what Manchu Pichu was is slowly narrowing.  From the research, it was determined that Manchu Pichu was used to study the sky and follow the sun.  There were a few sites that were used to study the skies.  Eventually, another site was an observatory.  A site that is not normally seen by the public is revealed. It had been carefully built with observation areas.  The Incas were able to carefully predict the weather and when to plant.

Another discovery that was made was the expansive aqueduct system in Manchu Pichu.  How did they manage to protect the city from flooding and use water to survive?  How did Manchu Pichu survive for five centuries?  What else is technology revealing about Manchu Pichu?  What about the famous terraces?  Tune into the rest of the episode to find out more. 

It would have been nice to have this documentary divided into chapters to help take out clips.  I was happy to see Peter Ginn and Colin Richards again participating in this documentary.  I would have appreciated some clarification as to what the main speaker of the program meant by “sanctuary.”  I hope I am wrong, but it felt like the narrator was AI.  If it was AI it was very well done AI.  This was a very well-done documentary, the flow was good and the information was very engaging.  This is an excellent documentary to show to a technology class as well as a science class.  I would also show this to a history class.

Good morning teachers, I hope this day finds you well.  I think I pressed my luck too hard with that Lost Treasures of the Ancient World series, so I am going to move on from that series.  I am going to pull a documentary from the National Geographic YouTube Channel for a change-up.  This documentary about the Great Lakes has a run time of 44:17. The documentary is called Ghost Ships of the Great Lakes: Lost Beneath the Waves.

Historian and author Brendon Baillod are on a quest to learn more about the Great Lakes.  A human skull was discovered in Lake Superior's depths, setting off this quest.  He and a team of technical divers dive into the Great Lakes.  They look at a wreck twenty miles off Milwaukee and discover a wreck of a lost ship.  Then they go to Lake Superior to try to identify an unknown ship.  They take a look at the world of the men and women who lost their lives on these ships.  They explore the legend of a woman who lived and died on these lakes, is she the cause of the Great Lakes’ reputation as a graveyard?

The story begins on a boat, an expedition surveying Lake Superior.  This is a team led by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.  Bruce Lynn leads the expedition and talks about the sonar used to survey the bottom of the biggest Great Lake.  An ROV is sent down if something is discovered on the bottom.  This ROV will give a look at what lurks beneath Lake Superior’s waves.  In the summer of 2021, a ship was discovered.  It was called the CM Curtis and it had vanished on Lake Superior in 1914.  The Curtis was towing two other vessels when it disappeared.  The ROV revealed the ship.

The Curtis was an older ship, who would have found navigating storms a challenge.  She would have been loaded with tons of lumber.  Soon after she left port, she encountered a storm that would have sent her down to the bottom of Lake Superior.  The expedition then works to find the barges she was towing.  One of the barges is discovered and the expedition is shocked to discover that the barge was so thoroughly damaged.

Then the documentary shifts to Lake Michigan and another ship the L.R. Doty.  Brandon Baillod was looking at records to learn more about why this ship disappeared.  He discovers the account of a cook on the tow barge that L.R. Doty was towing.  She talks about the sinking of the L.R. Doty and thought they would sink.  Baillod discovers something unusual about the account.  The ship had sunk north of Milwaukee, even though the debris was washing up in Kenosha.  He meets up with a local fisherman who has talked about getting snagged on something large.  Baillod theorized that this was the L.R. Doty.  Divers go out to the site to determine if the L.R. Doty is on the bottom of the lake.  Was this the L.R. Doty?  Well, tune into the rest of the episode to find out about that.

This documentary did a good job of talking about the weather and how storms can suddenly pick up on the Great Lakes.  It also talked about the waves that hit the Great Lakes.  The summary mentioned a legend about a woman who cursed the Great Lakes, which was about the ship’s cook on a towed ship or some sort of ghost.  I think that it was the cook and the episode description was misleading.  I felt like this could have been a bit longer because it seemed to have had an abrupt end to the episode.  I would have appreciated some further information on the L.R. Doty expedition.  Were there other artifacts found on this expedition? 

Overall, I can conclude that this is a good documentary to start with when it comes to learning more about the Great Lakes.   The information was well done and the storylines of both ships were engaging.  I would put this on my list to show to a science class, particularly in a section about the weather and the application of the scientific method.  I would also show this to a history class as well.

Well, can I go three for three with the Lost Treasures of the Ancient World Series?   I feel like I am pressing my luck when it comes to this series.  This time I am doing a documentary on Japan and the run time for this documentary is 45:52.

Japan, is a culture rich with history and a legendary ancient culture.  According to legend, this island was formed by the tears of a goddess.  It is a land of cherry blossoms.  It is the land of the Samurai.  This documentary explores the earliest origins of the island.  It goes into how the warlords shaped these islands into the country today.  What does the archaeological evidence tell us about Japan?

The story begins with the nomadic people who eventually settled and cultivated rice.  Rice would have an impact on these people, culture, and history.  These nomads would become settlers.  They would form small communities.  Political and social systems would evolve during this period.  Different kingdoms and clans would rise up.  Buddhism would be introduced to Japan.  The early emperors would be Buddhists.

Eventually, a writing system was developed, and the Japanese adopted the Chinese model of writing and government systems.  The Nara Period would be characterized by centralized power and this would continue until the 9th Century.  Eventually, the clan leaders would rise up and cause trouble.  Japan and China would eventually break up.  Finally, the Shogun would rise up and families would create their own armies to protect themselves.  The Shogun system would endure for 600 years.  The Samurai spirit would rise and this spirit would continue until the 20th Century.  After World War II this spirit would eventually decline.

Professor Grestle talks about the Samurai and the Samurai spirit.  They were initially the policemen of the property owners.  Eventually, they would become the army protecting those landowners.  They would have a huge part in the Civil Wars that plagued Japan.  Professor Ian Nish goes into these wars, and these wars were between the different clans.  The discussion on the Samurai continues to talk about the weapons and skills the Samurai have.  Then there was a long discussion on the Samurai’s armor and how the armor had to be lowered onto the Samurai’s body.  There was continued discussion on the Samauri code and how it would have granted them the right to rule.

After this discussion on the samurai, there is a discussion on architecture.  Japanese architecture had to factor in earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.  Early buildings were made with paper walls to help people not get trapped in an earthquake.  Eventually, these buildings were made out of wood.  Chinese influence would come and help inspire architecture in Japan.  Then there was a short talk on Buddhism in Japan and the different sects that were practiced in Japan.  Eventually, missionaries would come to Japan and would bring technical knowledge to the Japanese people.  However, foreign missionaries would be forbidden from entering Japan at some point.  Japan would become increasingly isolationist.

Then there was a discussion on the societal statuses of people.  The Samurai were at the top of the food chain and the peasants were at the bottom.  There was a ruling class.  Eventually, there was a power vacuum in Japan and one shogun rose to become Emperor.  He would create a system of government for Japan.  This ruler was so successful, that his family ruled Japan for centuries.  What would change about the Japanese ruling class?  To learn more about the shogun and the ruling class, continue to watch this documentary.

This episode was actually divided up into chapters!  However, there was a definite blurring between the introduction of the episode and the documentary itself so I was rather confused as to where the documentary actually started.  Anyway, I would have appreciated some further information on the history of Ancient Japan, as well as the archeology that was discovered and would have cut down on the Samurai discussion.  It was an intriguing documentary, with a lot of overkill on the Samari.  I really was not clear about the position of Emperor either.  Still, it was an interesting documentary and something I would put on my potential list of documentaries to show to a history and a geography class.

Today I am going to do a Lost Treasures Documentary because the one on India turned out to be better than I thought.  Now I am going to do a documentary on China from this series.  The run time for this documentary is 47:49.

China happens to be one of the oldest and most powerful country origins of the world.  However many of us do not know much about its ancient origins.  It was a land of mystery for decades.  It took many years for archeologists to go in and learn about the Chinese.  Who were the Chinese?  How did they unify themselves as a people?  Who created the world's most spectacular sites?  What about the Terracotta Warriors?

The story begins in London’s Chinatown, which is pretty odd for a documentary about China.  However, it is here that Londoners can get a small taste of Ancient China.  Ancient China looms large around the world.  Then there is a short discussion on Chinese legends of creation, especially the creation of China.  Then it transitions to the discussion on early Chinese kingdoms, rulers, and dynasties.  It talks about the rural landscape and how a building would not have survived.  Then it talks about the archeological finds that were discovered in ancient China.

The Shang dynasty was the first dynasty documented in China.  The earliest Chinese writing came from this dynasty.  Then there was another dynasty known as the Jo dynasty.  They were primarily nomadic people.  They would come into contact with the Shang Dynasty.  Eventually, there was a discussion on Confucious and his roots in the Feudal Class.  Confucious would loom large in Chinese history and Chinese society.  This was a section that seemed to blur from one topic into another.  The historian suddenly started to talk about Confucius and the other schools of philosophy that governed Chinese society.

Eventually, an Emperor rose to rule China.  He came from the Chin State and he would make his mark on Chinese history.  He was able to conquer all the independent states of China and would give himself the title of Emperor.  Additionally, he would unify the Chinese language and provide a standard script for China.  Other scripts and languages were forbidden from being used.  Archeologists have discovered these ancient writings and that there were a variety of scripts that were available.

Then the documentary goes into more detail about the first Emperor.  He was the King of Shim, and his reign did not begin smoothly.  Eventually, he would crush the rebels against him.  His mother was placed under house arrest.  He grew stricter in his rule and he would use these rules to govern Chin.  He would reunite all of China’s lands under himself.  History would know him as a ruthless man.  However, under his rule, he would appoint people based on merit and not based on class.  He would build roads, straight like the Roman roads.  He would also set up a national defense.  He would oversee the construction of the Great Wall.  Then there was a discussion on the construction of the wall.  It was interesting to hear that the Emperor dictated the length of the ox carts.  Then there was a discussion on how the Emperor prepared for his death.  However, if I recall, another biography said that he sought to be immortality.

There was a discussion on the Emperor's tomb and what it took to prepare it.  This was rather short but interesting.  Then the focus shifted to the terracotta army.  This was the most famous part of the Emperor’s tomb.  One historian talks about the variety of soldiers that were found in the tomb and I now plan on digging up a documentary on the Terracotta army to share on this blog.  Anyway, what else does this documentary discuss about China?  What about successive Emperors?  Tune into the rest of the episode to find out more.

Yes, I am glad that I did this documentary on China.  It was a good overview of the Chinese Empire.  I really wish Odyssey would have divided this documentary into chapters because it would have provided some clear transitions to the documentary.  Chapters also make it easier to find clips to show to a class.  I would put this on my list of potential documentaries to show in a history classroom.

Good morning, good afternoon, or good evening!  I hope the school year is getting off to a good start for you folks.  The blog marches on and I cannot believe how time has flown on by!  This is a documentary about the secret mummies of Lisbon.  The run time for this documentary is 46:23. It is called The Secret Mummies of Lisbon.

The Catholic Church requested that members of the Royal Archeological and Historical Association excavate 78 mummies. These mummies were found in the crypt beneath the altar of the Sacramento Church in Lisbon, Portugal.  While the mummies are being excavated, a handwritten book was discovered and this book seems to have hint that there may be a horde of treasure buried nearby.  The documentary also talks about the history of many of the mummies including one known as “The King of the Congo.”

This crypt is one of Lisbon’s best-kept secrets.  It is at the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament and it was the site of many legends.  It was a crypt full of mummies dating over 300 years.  These mummies were silent witnesses to history.  However, there may be another secret lurking- a treasure trove that was hidden from Napoleon’s soldiers. 

The story begins at the church, where many stories about the mummies were found.  However, there were no living person recalled even seeing them.  There were also rumors of gold hidden among the mummies.  There were also rumors of a body of a giant African king that was used to scare away French soldiers.  There was just one problem, no one could confirm where these mummies were buried.  Eventually, these mummies were discovered while an electrician needed to run wire beneath the floor.  He discovered a door and through that door, the mummies were discovered.

This discovery sent shockwaves throughout the church and those who saw the mummies.  The crypt was investigated in 1993 and the discovery was documented.  However, this initial investigation was plagued with problems.  Over the decades, there have been mysterious happenings at these crypts during times of investigation.  At the time it was not possible to do a deeper study of the mummies.  Time and technology have changed.  Now it is possible to do a deeper study of those mummies.

Then there was a discussion on how a law in 1833 was passed.  This law forbade bodies from being buried in crypts in churches.  Many thousands of bodies were removed from their burial places and put into public cemeteries.  There were bodies that were allowed to remain and these belonged to historical figures and prominent families.  Many crypts were filled in with dirt or used as storage.  Some were converted into shops.

The crypt in the Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament was opened again and this time it was examined by the Royal Archeology and Historical Association.  What they found shocked them, many of the mummies showed signs of destruction.  Were these mummies purposely destroyed?  Why would someone try to destroy the mummies?  However, there was still information that could potentially be discovered.

There was a short discussion on the church and the family that helped provide funding for the church building.  The Valladares family was behind the sponsorship of the church.  Only one member of the family was buried in the crypt at the church.  Finally, the work on the mummies started.  Each body was taken out of the crypt and examined carefully.  However, there were challenges along the way.  What were those challenges?  What was the impact of the earthquake on these mummies?  What will the mummies reveal about the history of Portugal?  Tune into the rest of the episode to find out more.

I really wish Timeline would have timestamped this documentary, it would have been a lot easier to keep track of where I was in the documentary.  It would also be a way for teachers to mine it for clips for a lecture.  It was a long setup before the mummies were pulled out.  I found myself drifting throughout this documentary, some of the sections were just too long.  I would not recommend this documentary for the classroom.  There is no point in using this documentary for research either.

Good morning!  Time for a documentary on India. This may be part of the Lost Treasures of the Ancient World Series, at least that is what it says on the Odyssey Ancient History YouTube Channel.  It definitely is an older documentary.  The run time for this documentary is 45:16.

India’s history is long and complex.  It was a land of different religions, cultures, and beliefs.  It is a strange combination of the modern and the traditional.  This civilization has survived thousands of years.  Its social systems are still in place despite outside influences.  These systems are not going to die out anytime soon.  It is a civilization that still fascinates people to this very day.

The documentary begins with The Harappan Period.  The narrator talks about the sites that were discovered from the Harappan Period.  The people grew wheat.  The name of this Harappan came from where the largest settlement was found.  It was found in Harappa in Pakistan.  This discovery was the tip of the iceberg when it came to this civilization.  There were many other sites discovered in the Indus River Valley.  Note, I am glad to find another documentary that mentions this civilization.

One historian talks about the discoveries of this civilization.  It was accidentally discovered by construction workers looking for materials to build a railroad.  Then the documentary goes into a slideshow mode showing off the remains of the Harappan Period.  There was no narration to this section.  After a short time, the narrator talks about the religion of the Harappan period and how the Harappan gods became Hindu gods.  There is a short discussion on the clothes that were worn by the Harappans.

The documentary then transitions to how the Aryans came down.  They were forced to leave the Russian Steppes and went into the Indus River Valley.  Their legacy was religion and language.  They wrote poetry that was passed through the generations orally.  Eventually, the caste system was developed and the castes never were to mix.
Then the documentary transitions to a discussion on Buddha and Buddhism.  One of the things about Buddhism was how women could become nuns in the community.  Women were to have a place in society.  The narrator moves on to talk about Alexander the Great who went to conquer India.  Here, I hear Alexander the Great’s army mutinied for the first time, so they would have returned to Greece. 

Then the Asoka Kingdom is discussed.  This was India’s first great dynasty.  One king organized the Buddha’s writings and he carefully administrated his kingdom.  Governors encouraged people to settle into rural villages because the villages would need skilled tradesmen to help the village prosper.  Blacksmiths, tavern keepers, and potters would move into these villages.  Eventually, the Asoka Kingdom would collapse after the last king was killed.  Eventually, Hinduism would replace Buddhism in India.  One king went out and killed the Buddhist monks and tore down their monasteries.

Eventually, there were little kingdoms that crept up around India.  Dynasties would be established.  These kings would be patrons of the arts and would have beautiful temples built throughout their kingdoms.  The narrator talks about one of the temples and this is one section that if you have younger eyes watching you may want to go ahead and skip this section.  Anyway, that said, what else was discussed about India and its treasures?  What about the role of Islam in India?  What about the English presence?  Tune into the rest of the episode to find out more.

I was a little skeptical about this documentary series, but as it pressed on I slowly started to warm up to it.  Although I have plenty of documentaries on the ancient world, this is one part of the world I lack documentaries.  There was a discussion on the sharp divide between the rich and the poor in India.  This historian frequently mentioned, “If the people could afford it and it was mainly the wealthy that could afford it.”  It was nice to see that this documentary was divided into chapters which makes things easier to pull out for lectures.  I probably would have renamed a couple of the chapters and probably would have broken some of the sections down further.  This would be a documentary I would show to a history class.

Good morning!  Now that I made my suggestions for the upcoming school year, I can move on and get back to reviewing documentaries.  Today I am going to look at a documentary on Petra, which is something I would classify as the Eighth Wonder of the World.  It is used in films.  I saw Peter Ginn in this documentary and I knew I had to do it.  I wondered what he was up to, and was happy to see him participate in this documentary.  The run time for this documentary is 49:50.

Petra is nestled in the Jordanian desert.  It was built over 2,000 years ago by nomads.  It had been forgotten for centuries but was rediscovered by a Swiss explorer.  Today, scientists are coming together to study Petra and discover its secrets.  Using the latest in technology scientists and archeologists are putting Petra under a microscope.  How was it built?  What tools were used?  The scientists and archeologists are bound and determined to find out.

The view a visitor got of Petra was for decades called the Treasure House.  It showed the opulence of Petra as well as the skill of its carvers.  Everything was perfectly carved, but how did the Nabataeans carve it?  Archeologists are utilizing technology to help solve the mystery.  This technology helps uncover details naked to the human eye.  A 3D model is created and reveals notches alongside the monument.  Did these carves use these notches to help climb to higher points?  However, upon closer examination, these notches were left behind by raiders.

One French architect is studying another cliff, and this building was known as the “unfinished building.”  This site allows the architect to study the Nabataean's work.  How could they work on such a steep cliff?  Today he is using drones to get another look at the site.  It seems that the cliff wall face was smoothed out and the carvers worked their way down.  They had to work carefully and do it in one go.  They could not make a mistake.  They had to be careful planners.  Another cliff reveals stairs that would have allowed access to the site.

Colin Richards talks about construction principles and how the Nabataeans would have applied those principles, or did they?  The Nabataeans would not have been able to test out how the structures could have held up so much weight.  However, examining the inside of the building shows the Nabataean's genius.  They used triangulation techniques to help distribute the weight.  The façade was just something lovely to look at.

The biggest question about Petra and the Nabataeans was about water.  The area is subjected to flash floods and in 2018 4,000 tourists had to be rescued from flash floods.  Eventually, the archeologists uncover a passage carved in a rock.  It was used to help manage the water.  The Nabataeans used a series of dams to help protect the city from flooding.  There were a series of thirty-six sites were discovered and these dams were restored in the modern era to help protect Petra.  The system has been resurrected and is now working again.

In addition to the flash floods, how did the Nabataeans manage water in Petra?  After all, water means life, and without water, Petra would not be able to survive.  Archeologists discovered terracotta pipes and distilling chambers to help clean the water.  The Nabataeans stored water in a series of pools that helped filter the water, which made it clean for drinking.  In the city, there are channels carved in rock which would have channeled water throughout the city.  Some of the channels have remains of terracotta pipes.  This water system would allow the population to thrive and have their thirst quenched.  What else do the scientists and archeologists discover about Petra?  Will Petra give up its secrets?  Tune into the rest of the episode to find out more.

It was very nice to see Peter Ginn and Colin Richards, and if you are familiar with the Farm Series you know who these men are.  This was a very well-done documentary.  It would also be an excellent documentary to show to a science class.  It had a strong emphasis on technology and the scientific method.

Good morning teachers!  Summer is winding down and I’m sure that you are starting to plan for the following school year.  So what will show up as a recommended documentary show for the upcoming school year?  This year, I will do the same but this will be a general list of what can be shown in the classroom from Sixth Grade to high school and even college.  Also, if appropriate you can show these documentaries in science, agriculture, English, or art classroom.  I have published over 500 documentary reviews, so if you disagree with this list, you can check out my other reviews and make other picks.
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If I pick a documentary series, then pick an episode to show in the classroom.  First, we will look at last year’s list, and then I will put in my recommendations for 2024.

2023 Suggested Documentaries
The Guerilla Base of the King - YouTube (50:29)
In Search of Henry V's Flagship Grace Dieu - YouTube (48:38)
The Lost City of Roxburgh - YouTube (48:04)
Iron Age Trading Post - Green Island - YouTube (47:50)
Dig by Wire - YouTube (46:50)
Lord of the Isles - YouTube(46:07)
An Incredible Discovery in Turkdean - YouTube
Return to Turkdean - YouTube
Rooting for Romans - YouTube
Street of the Dead - YouTube (47:17)

2024 Recommended Documentaries
A Saintly Site - YouTube (46:48)
They are investigating some lumps and bumps in a potential chapel site.  Locals had been investigating the area for several years and then decided to bring Time Team in for help.  This site will prove to be a challenge for Time Team because it is on a rocky outcropping, with rocks on top of a wall.  Will the Time Team find a chapel underneath all the rubble?  Watch this episode to find out!  Mick is really in his element in this episode.  *Highly recommended for research purposes.*

The Guerilla Base of the King - YouTube (50:29)
Our first episode of Time Team comes from Season 1, Episode 1.  Tony Robinson is younger and has long hair.  The Time Team goes to Somerset County and explores the base of King Alfred the Great.  King Alfred the Great was fleeing from the Danes.  The site they excavate was the base of King Alfred the Great.  They are not sure what they will find on the field.  Did Alfred the Great have a base on this Somerset Land?  *Highly recommended for research purposes.*

In the Shadow of Tor - YouTube (47:32)
Time Team is in one of the most hostile environments in Great Britain in Cornwall.  However, 5,000 years ago it was the most ideal place to have a home.  Why were Prehistoric people drawn to the site?  How did they survive?  Time Team has three days to find out.  The location in Cornwall is weather-scared and a witness to 1,000’s years of human history.  Nobody can say for sure how old the ruins in Cornwall are.  *Recommended for independent study students.*

Iron Age Trading Post - Green Island - YouTube (47:50)
The Time Team will be excavating an island in Dorset in Poole Harbor.  This island was the hub of trade for Dorset.  Green Island has produced some interesting finds.  Despite the finds, the island has never been properly excavated.  So the Time Team is on the case.  Will Green Island give up its secrets to the Time Team?  Was Green Island the hub of trading for the Dorset coast?  *Recommended for a history class and for independent study students.*

Dig by Wire - YouTube (46:50)
Time Team is heading on over to Gateholm Island.  This island is off the coast of Pembrokeshire and a handful of objects have been found over the years.  It is one of the most dangerous and inaccessible places Time Team has ever excavated.  Tony Robinson will have to zipline over to the island.  Did the original inhabitants have an easier way to get to the island?  What will the Time Team discover about the island?  Gateholm is managed by the National Trust and hopes that Time Team will unlock the secrets of the island.  *Recommended for an archeology class.*

Lord of the Isles - YouTube(46:07)
There was a set of ruins that dominated a kingdom in Scotland for decades.  The Time Team will brave the rain to explore a Scottish Island.  The National Museum of Scotland has partnered with the Time Team to excavate the site.  It is important for the Time Team to help with this dig because the National Museum will run out of money to fund the dig.  Once the money runs out, there will be no more digs.  What will the Time Team find out about the Lords of the Isles?  *Highly recommended for a fun day in history class.*

5000 Tons of Stone - YouTube (47:02)
What was this site?  It has been called everything from a stone-age homestead to a fortress.  This site sits on a hill on a sheep farm.  Its crumbling walls still provide an interesting puzzle.  The site was nicknamed the castles.  The Time Team will have to find a date and the function of this enclosure.  A ditch may provide environmental evidence.  What will the Time Team discover about this site?  How many stones will the Time Team have to move to learn more about the site?  *Recommended for a history and landscape class.*

The First King of Racing - YouTube (46:55)
The site is at Newmark and it is known as the birthplace of horse racing.  The Time Team is in search of the earliest archeological traces of horse racing.  Horse racing was the sport of kings and the Time Team not only hopes to take in some racing but also discover some serious archeology.  They hope that they will find the world’s first racehorse stables in the world.  What will the Time Team uncover in three days?  *Recommended for a fun and frivolous day of history.*

Scotch Broch - YouTube (46:57)
The Time Team heads over to Applecross Peninsula in Scotland to excavate a broch.  A broch is a monumental dry stone tower and it was one of the largest Iron Age structures in Britain.  Soil and massive overhead power lines won’t stop the Time Team from excavating this site.  The Time Team is joined by Iron Age specialists Ian Armit, Andy Heald, Cathy Dagg, and Noel Fojut.  What can this broch tell us about life in Iron Age Scotland?  Tune into this episode to find out!  *Recommended for a history fun day!*

Return to Turkdean - YouTube (50:30)
The Time Team is back at Turkdean.  When they originally visited Turkdean, they found a range of buildings.  However, geophysics threw everyone for a loop and found more buildings on the site.  Eighteen months later, the Time Team is back to excavate this new site on Turkdean.  The ground showed a network of rooms that were strung together.  Trench after trench got bigger and bigger during the original dig.  What will the Time Team find out about the new site?  *Highly recommended for a history classroom in both middle school and high school.  Highly recommended for independent study students.*

Good morning teachers!  Summer is winding down and I’m sure that you are starting to plan for the following school year.  So what will show up as a recommended documentary show for the upcoming school year?  This year, I will do the same but this will be a general list of what can be shown in the classroom from Sixth Grade to high school and even college.  Also, if appropriate you can show these documentaries in science, agriculture, English, or art classroom.  I have published over 500 documentary reviews, so if you disagree with this list, you can check out my other reviews and make other picks.
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If I pick a documentary series, then pick an episode to show in the classroom.  First, we will look at last year’s list, and then I will put in my recommendations for 2024.

2023 Suggested Documentaries
True History of English Food - YouTube (58:57)
Time Walks - Freemantle (26:14) Townsville  (25:33) Canberra (26:15)  Adelaide (25:29)  Launceston  (25:54) Barossa Valley (26:30)  Wellington (26:07)
Woolloomoolo (26:12) Bendigo (26:17)  Kalgoorie (26:08)  Brisbane (26:17) Parramatta (26:36)  Geelong (26:33)  Melbourne (26:46)  Carlton (26:38)  St. Kilda (26:47)  Hobart (26:47)  Newcastle (26:44)  Christchurch (26:11)  Alice Springs (26:20)
Diva Mummy - YouTube (49:47)
France's Greatest Royal Painter: The Rise of Madam LeBrun - YouTube (51:20)
100 Years on the Lincoln Highway - YouTube (56:58)
Florence Foster Jenkins - YouTube (1:27:40)
Lost Liners - YouTube
Kingdom of Bhutan - YouTube (50:33)


2024 Recommended Documentaries
Walking Through Britain - Front-line Dorset (47:29)  Bronte Country (47:03)  The Tudor Way (46:48)  St. Cuthbert (46:56)  Battle of the Glens (47:41)  Rome in the Lakes (47:21)  Stonehenge (47:09)  Industrial Revolution (47:29)  North Norfolk (47:10)  Cornish Smuggling (47:03)  King John (47:12)  Pembrokeshire (46:51)  West England (47:34)  Leeds and Liverpool Canal (47:09)  Scottish Highlands (47:18)
In this series, Sir Tony Robinson discovers the history of Britain while on foot.  He goes on walking tours of Great Britain to discover history that really does not get told or seen.  He walks historic landscapes an travels through magnificent scenery.  In each episode, Tony embarks on a planned 60 Mile Walk.   The walks cover four ears in history featuring highlights of the era.  This is British history as only Sir Tony Robinson can tell it.  *Highly recommended for both a history and geography class.*

Ancient Tracks - Dartmoor (46:52)  King Offa (46:47)  Icneild Way (46:18)  Deer Path (46:10) Pilgrim's Way (46:21)  Port Way (46:27)  Ridgeway (46:51)
In this series, Sir Tony Robinson discovers the history of Britain while on foot.  He goes on walking tours of Great Britain to discover history that really does not get told or seen.  He walks historic landscapes an travels through magnificent scenery.  He takes the ancient pathways that were walked by the ancient travelers.  He takes in the ancient landscapes to tell Britain's history over the generations in only the way he can tell it.  He meets a variety of people along the way to learn about the history of each region.  *Highly recommended for both a history and geography class.*

Time Walks - Freemantle (26:14) Townsville  (25:33) Canberra (26:15)  Adelaide (25:29)  Launceston  (25:54) Barossa Valley (26:30)  Wellington (26:07)
Woolloomoolo (26:12) Bendigo (26:17)  Kalgoorie (26:08)  Brisbane (26:17) Parramatta (26:36)  Geelong (26:33)  Melbourne (26:46)  Carlton (26:38)  St. Kilda (26:47)  Hobart (26:47)  Newcastle (26:44)  Christchurch (26:11)  Alice Springs (26:20)
Tony Robinson has another series Time Walks.  He walks and explores the history of a particular area.  This is different from Time Travels and its search for hidden history.  This series happened over two series and explores the cities of Australia and New Zealand.  Tony brings his storytelling style to this series.  The series kicks off with Freemantle and ends with Alice Springs.  What will Tony Robinson learn about Australia and New Zealand?  *Highly recommended for a geography class.*

Diva Mummy - YouTube (49:47)
While ordinary people fought in battles, the aristocrats celebrated and grew wealthy.  There was a Han aristocrat named Lady Dai.  Lady Dai would not ordinarily make history.  However, when her tomb was opened the discovery sent shockwaves through the archeological community.  Her mummy was the best-preserved mummy in the world.  She was known as the perfect mummy.  Her lifelike mummy leaves the Egyptian efforts in the dust.  *Recommend for teacher and student research purposes.  Highly recommended for a history and science classroom.*

France's Greatest Royal Painter: The Rise of Madam LeBrun - YouTube (51:20)
Elisabeth Vigee LeBrun was France’s last great portrait painter.  She was a child prodigy and was taught by her father.  Elisabeth started painting professionally at fourteen years old.   She soon became part of the court of Marie Antoinette.  She painted over 660 portraits.  However, due to her ties to the French court, she is forced to flee into exile.  For thirteen years, she traveled around a variety of European courts.  She will be met with a great deal of acclaim in the European Courts.  *Highly recommended for an art class as well as a history class.  Recommended for independent study students.*

Elizabeth and Margaret: The Tale of Two Sisters - YouTube (43:56)
No two sisters were ever less alike.  One sister was reserved and the other lively.  One was the leader of the nation.  The other was looking for purpose.  They each had to carve a different path in life.  Elizabeth and Margaret are among the most photographed women in history.  However, what lies underneath the relationship between the two sisters?  This documentary explores the relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.  *Recommended for research purposes and showing in a classroom.*

Princess Alice: The Queen's Mother-in-Law - YouTube (47:34)
​Princess Alice was the mother of Prince Philip and the mother-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II.  She was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria and was born Princess Alice.  Her story begins when she is escaping an asylum.  She is caught.  Her family had locked her in the asylum.  She was born a princess but turned her back on royal life.  She had a strong personality.  She overcame her mental illness and disability to become a hero of World War II.  *Recommended for research purposes.*

Kingdom of Bhutan - YouTube (50:33)
In Asia’s Monarchies: Bhutan, is the land of the thunder dragon.  It is the symbol of Bhutan and is a Buddhist monarchy.  Both the past and future come together.  The King had given up absolute power and gave the people democracy.  Each king had a crisis that they navigated carefully.   Bhutan is ruled by the Wangchuck dynasty.  It is an isolated kingdom known as the last Shangri-la.  *Recommended for a geography and history class.*

*Wartime Farm:  YouTube Each Episode 59:00
Ruth Goodman, Peter Ginn, and Alex Langladas as well as new team member Henry live as farmers facing the conditions of World War II.  Goodman, Ginn, and Langladas startup with setting up the farm for war conditions, planting the fields, and trying their hand at recycling.  They deal with rationing.  They also take in war refugees, participate in home defense and welcome the Americans.  *Highly recommended for both middle school and high school history and agricultural classrooms.  Highly recommend it for independent study students and clips.*

Time Crashers - Episode 1 (46:31)  Episode 2 (47:16) Episode 3 (46:12) Episode 4  (49:37) Episode 5 (46:25) Episode 6 (46:23)
Time Crashers is a history meets reality TV series hosted by Tony Robinson.  Ten celebrities go back in time to explore six different periods of British history.  The different periods include the Elizabethan Era, the 1460’s, 1913, the Georgian Era, the Victorian Era, and the Iron Age.  The ten celebrities are Keith Allen, Kristie Alley, Fern Britton, Charlie Condou, Meg Mathews, Jermaine Jenas, Louise Minchin, Chris Ramsey, Greg Rutherford, and Zoe Smith.  Can they survive what history has to throw at them?  *Recommended for a history class and for a fun day in history.*